Walmart layoffs spark backlash, targeting CTO over H-1B workers

Walmart’s recent decision to cut nearly 1,500 jobs in the United States has triggered a wave of criticism online, with several American social media users—particularly supporters of the MAGA movement—accusing the company of replacing domestic workers with foreigners on H-1B visas.

A large portion of the criticism has been directed at Walmart’s Chief Technology Officer, Suresh Kumar, an Indian-origin executive. However, there is no evidence to support claims that the layoffs are linked to hiring H-1B workers.

Kumar, an IIT Madras alumnus and former Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM executive, joined Walmart as CTO in 2019, bringing with him over 25 years of leadership experience in the technology sector.

Despite this, users on X (formerly Twitter) posted inflammatory remarks about his background. One viral post read, “Corporate executives of Walmart are making millions by importing nonimmigrant workers on visas like the H-1B. How does that make you feel?”

Another asked, “Walmart laid off 1,500 tech workers last week. I wonder how many of them were H-1B?” A third user falsely alleged that “over 40% of Walmart’s IT department is made up of H-1B visa holders”.

The cuts, announced on 21 May, are part of a broader corporate restructuring aimed at simplifying operations, reducing expenses, and improving agility in decision-making, according to internal communications cited by Bloomberg.

The layoffs will affect teams across global tech operations, e-commerce fulfilment, and Walmart Connect, the retailer’s advertising division—not just tech roles often associated with visa sponsorship, The Wall Street Journal reported.

In a joint memo, Suresh Kumar and Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner clarified that the job losses were tied to long-term strategy and not an attempt to replace staff with H-1B visa holders.

Part of wider backlash This controversy follows a recent incident in Washington DC, where an American musician publicly criticised the presence of Indian airport gate agents, referring to them as “parasites.” The remarks drew widespread backlash from Indian users online but also found support among anti-immigration voices in the US.

The H-1B visa programme, which allows U.S. companies to employ skilled foreign workers in specialised roles, has long been a flashpoint in debates over immigration and employment, particularly within the tech sector.

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